Unit dose oral cleaning device and product dispensing system

ABSTRACT

An oral care product dispensing system includes a container and a plurality of individually packaged items arranged in an organized fashion according to a predetermined treatment plan. At least one of the individually packaged items, or the packages in which it is contained, may be identified with a predetermined time for use. The plurality of individually packaged items may be arranged sequentially according to the predetermined time for use, such as meals, times of day, days, or intervals.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/448,712, filed Jun. 21, 2019, which is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/582,477, filed Apr. 28, 2017, which claims thebenefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/329,674,filed Apr. 29, 2016. Each of the above-mentioned applications is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to oral care devices and aproduct dispensing system, and, more particularly, to a unit-dosetoothbrush which may be configured for suction and non-suctionoperation. The toothbrush may be individually packaged and may be partof a product dispensing system having a plurality of separately packagedproducts arranged in an organized, sequential fashion for individualdispensation and use.

Standard toothbrushes are commonly used and are well known. Morerecently, toothbrush designs have been developed that enable atoothbrush to dispense toothpaste. However, the prior art designs arenot suitable for use in hospitals or other medical treatment facilities,where patients may have compromised immune systems or be on ventilators.For example, reuse of such a toothbrush creates a risk of bacterialinfection. Further, patients on ventilators, as well as somenon-ventilated patients, are unable to spit, expectorate, or otherwisevoluntarily remove liquids from their mouths, necessitating the use ofsuction. The need to use a suction device alongside a toothbrush orother cleaning device complicates oral cleanings and creates a risk ofpatient injury or infection. Standard toothpaste may also be unsuitablefor use by such patients. Accordingly, an improved design of toothbrushis required.

Other recent designs include toothbrushes connected to a vacuum source.However, these prior art designs require individuals using thetoothbrush to apply the appropriate amount of cleaning solution.Furthermore, such devices require the individual to hook up orseparately activate the vacuum source at the appropriate time. Both ofthese steps may be too complicated for a patient in a medical facilityto perform correctly on their own, risking that the patient will applyan incorrect dosage of cleaning solution, will prematurely activate thevacuum source, or will inadvertently swallow cleaning solution fromfailing to activate the vacuum source in a timely manner.

Additionally, in many circumstances, medical products such astoothbrushes or other medical devices must be used multiple times. Forexample, in medical care and with particular reference to oral care, aseries of mouth care products must be used in a repetitious fashion,such as for periodic cleaning sessions, where there can be evacuation,brushing of the teeth, and swabbing of the mouth and gums. Fresh toolsmay be used for each procedure, and with the repetition of eachprocedure occurring after a predetermined interval, such as every fewhours, it is advantageous to have all of the necessary implementsavailable to the mouth care professional in an organized, sequential andlogical manner. This not only facilitates proper care, but also helpsavoid missing any critical care steps each time mouth care isundertaken.

Further, there is a need to ensure that periodic procedures have beenperformed and that a predetermined treatment plan has been followed. Inparticular, when procedures must be administered frequently or numerousindividuals are responsible for providing care or ensuring compliancewith a treatment plan, there is a need for a reliable, readilyperceivable indicator as to whether the treatment plan has beenfollowed. For example, a health care provider may need to rapidlyconfirm whether a patient has performed a prescribed series oftreatments during a day, or whether another provider has rendered theprescribed treatments already during a particular day.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved product dispensing systemwhich ensures compliance with a treatment plan in general, and moreparticularly for a system for dispensing products and ensuringcompliance with an oral care routine without requiring significanttraining or additional effort for a patient or health care provider.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an oral cleaningdevice, such as a toothbrush, in a kit that increases brushingcompliance in the hospital. In an embodiment, a toothbrush is providedin a kit of four brushes, as research demonstrates that brushing fourtimes daily reduces the risk of pneumonia in the non-ventilated patient.The brushes are visible so it is easy for the clinician to check ondaily compliance.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an oral cleaningdevice, such as a toothbrush, that helps reduce the risk of pneumonia. Aunit dose of disinfectant mouth gel or other oral cleaning solution isapplied in a dentifrice syringe type mechanism. The plunger end pushesthe gel through a hollow cavity and exits onto the brush bristles. Theplunger end is sealed with a foil/plastic laminate. At a certain pointafter the majority of gel has been dispensed, the foil is pierced by aninternal feature in the brush head. This now opens the end of theplunger attached to suction to the three suction ports in the brushhead. These suction ports allow a clinician to remove any excess fluidsin a patient's mouth. The O-ring on the plunger ensures a seal so thegel does not leak prior to application and creates an airtight seal forthe suction. The plunger when fully extended locks into position, whichcannot be reversed, thereby making the brush single use.

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a product dispensingsystem comprising a plurality of individually packaged items arranged inan organized fashion. A carrier is provided to arrange the packageditems sequentially, the separate packages being secured to and extendingfrom the carrier. The carrier includes visual indicia capable ofidentifying each item and providing instructions regarding the mannerand time in which each item should be used.

In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, the carrier isconfigured to hold a sequential arrangement of single-use items to beused at predetermined times in a manner which allows for quick visualinspection to determine compliance with a treatment plan.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure provides an oral cleaningdevice that includes an elongated, hollow body having a bottom end and acleaning end, a cleaning head, and a neck portion extending between thecleaning end of the hollow body and the cleaning head. The neck portionforms a fluid channel between the hollow body and the cleaning head andwherein the cleaning head includes at least one opening in fluidcommunication with the fluid channel. The device further includes aplunger located within the hollow body, and movable between a firstposition proximate the bottom end and a second position proximate thecleaning end, and a solution chamber formed within the hollow body atthe cleaning end. The solution chamber contains a cleaning solution andis in fluid communication with the fluid channel in the neck portion. Acleaning end of the plunger is configured to move the cleaning solutionin the solution chamber through the fluid channel in the neck portionand through the at least one opening in the cleaning head when theplunger is moved from the first position toward the second position.

In some embodiments, the plunger is hollow and comprises a seal at thecleaning end of the plunger so as to form an airtight closure across thecleaning end of the plunger. In some embodiments, the device furtherincludes a vacuum port located at a bottom end of the plunger, a suctionchannel formed in the hollow plunger, and a piercing element configuredto penetrate the seal when the plunger is moved into the secondposition, thereby providing fluid communication between the suctionchannel and the fluid channel. In some embodiments, an airtight seal isformed between an exterior surface of the plunger and an interiorsurface of the hollow body.

In some embodiments, the device further includes an opening in thehollow body, and a suction activation opening, wherein the suctionactivation opening extends between the suction channel and an exteriorof the hollow body through the opening in the hollow body. In someembodiments, the suction activation opening is configured such that whenthe plunger is in the second position and the suction adjustment openingis covered, the vacuum port and the at least one opening in the cleaninghead are communicatively coupled so as to provide suction to thecleaning head.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a locking mechanismconfigured to prevent the plunger from returning to the first positionfrom the second position.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a capsule contained inthe solution chamber, wherein the capsule holds the cleaning solution,and a piercing element configured to puncture the capsule when thecapsule is forced towards the cleaning end by the plunger, therebyreleasing the cleaning solution and allowing the cleaning solution tomove through the fluid channel. In some embodiments, the device furtherincludes a vacuum port located at a bottom end of the plunger, and asuction channel formed in the hollow plunger, wherein the piercingelement is further configured to puncture a second portion of thecapsule, thereby providing fluid communication between the suctionchannel and the fluid channel.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a fluid channel sealforming a closure between the fluid channel and the solution chamber,and a piercing element configured to pierce the fluid channel seal asthe plunger moves from the first position to the second position toallow the cleaning solution to move into the fluid channel. In someembodiments, the plunger is hollow and comprises a seal at the cleaningend of the plunger so as to form an airtight closure across the cleaningend of the plunger. In some embodiments, the device further includes avacuum port located at a bottom end of the plunger, a suction channelformed in the hollow plunger, and a second piercing element configuredto penetrate the plunger seal when the plunger is moved into the secondposition, thereby providing fluid communication between the suctionchannel and the fluid channel.

In some embodiments, the cleaning head portion comprises at least onecleaning element. In some embodiments, the oral cleaning device is atoothbrush and wherein the at least one cleaning element is a bristle.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of using anoral cleaning device for oral care. The method includes providing anoral cleaning device according to any of the embodiments describedabove, and moving the plunger from the first position toward the secondposition, thereby forcing the cleaning solution in the solution chamberthrough the fluid channel in the neck portion and through the at leastone opening in the cleaning head.

In some embodiments, the plunger is hollow and comprises a seal at thecleaning end of the plunger so as to form an airtight closure across thecleaning end of the plunger.

In some embodiments, the method further includes providing suction inthe hollow plunger and wherein moving the plunger to the second positioncauses a break in the seal such that suction is further provided throughthe fluid channel and through the at least one opening in the cleaninghead. In some embodiments, providing suction in the hollow plungerincludes providing the oral cleaning device with a vacuum port locatedat a bottom end of the plunger and a suction channel formed in thehollow plunger.

In some embodiments, the oral cleaning device includes an opening in thehollow body and a suction activation opening extending between thesuction channel and an exterior of the hollow body through the openingin the hollow body, and the method includes covering the suctionactivation opening so as to provide suction from the vacuum port to thecleaning head.

In some embodiments, the oral cleaning device further includes apiercing element which pierces the seal when the plunger is moved to thesecond position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The following disclosure as a whole may be best understood by referenceto the provided detailed description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, drawing descriptions, abstract, background, fieldof the disclosure, and associated headings. Identical referencenumerals, when found on different figures, identify the same elements orfunctionally equivalent elements. The elements listed in the abstractare not referenced but nevertheless refer by association to the elementsof the detailed description and associated disclosure.

FIG. 1 is front elevation view of an oral cleaning device in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the oral cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of the oral cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the oral cleaning device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the oral cleaning device ofFIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged front and rear perspective views,respectively, of a cleaning head in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a partial cutaway view of an oral cleaning device with theplunger slide in an initial position;

FIG. 9 is a partial cutaway view of an oral cleaning device with theplunger slide in a final position;

FIG. 10 is a partial cutaway view of an oral cleaning device with theplunger slide in an initial position in an embodiment having a secondaryfoil for enclosing oral solution;

FIG. 11 is a partial cutaway view of an oral cleaning device with theplunger slide in an initial position in an embodiment having an oralsolution capsule; and

FIG. 12 is a compliance system compromising a plurality of individuallypackaged oral cleaning devices in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is not limited to the particular details of theapparatus depicted, and other modifications and applications may becontemplated. Further changes may be made in the apparatus, device, ormethods without departing from the true spirit and scope of thedisclosure herein involved. It is intended, therefore, that the subjectmatter in this disclosure should be interpreted as illustrative, not ina limiting sense.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, in an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, an oral cleaning device is shown. In the figures, the oralcleaning device is a unit dose suction brush 100, which is elongated andhollow, having a bottom end 100 a (also referred to herein as thesuction end) and a top end 100 b (also referred to herein as thecleaning end) located at opposite axial ends of the unit dose suctionbrush 100.

The unit dose suction brush includes a substantially hollow handle 102with a bottom end 102 a and a top end 102 b. The handle 102, locatedtowards the suction end 100 a, is connected to a cleaning head 104 whichis located at the cleaning end 100 b. In an embodiment, the top end 102b of the handle 102 tapers to a neck 118, such that the neck 118 issubstantially narrower than the bottom end 102 a of the handle 102. Theexterior of the bottom end of the cleaning head 104 is substantially thesame size as the exterior of the top end 102 b of the handle. The neck118 (which includes the bottom portion of the cleaning head 104 and thetop portion of the handle 102) may be substantially straight (asillustrated) or may be bent at an angle or curved to allow for easieruse.

A plunger slide 106 is slidably mounted to the handle 102. The plungerslide is configured to move along the handle 102 toward the top end 102b of the handle 102. In some embodiments, the plunger slide 106 movesaround the circumference of the handle 102. The plunger slide 106comprises a suction regulator, such as suction regulator aperture 108which is shaped to be manipulated by a thumb or a finger of a user. Insome embodiments, the suction regulator aperture 108 is not located onthe plunger slide 106, and is instead positioned on the side or the backof the handle 102, to prevent a user from accidentally covering thesuction regulator aperture 108 and causing suction when it is notdesired. In other embodiments, both the suction regulator aperture 108and the plunger slide 106 are located on a side or back of the handle102. The plunger slide 106 comprises one or more protrusions 112 whichextend away from the plunger slide 106. The protrusions 112 areconfigured such that a user of the unit dose suction brush 100 caneasily apply pressure to the plunger slide 106 to move the plunger slide106. In some embodiments, the plunger slide 106 makes an audible clickas it is moving from an initial position to a final position, and/orwhen fully engaged. In an embodiment, the plunger slide 106 comprisesone or more visual indicia 114, configured to readily instruct a user ofthe unit dose suction brush 100 on the operation of the plunger slide106. The visual indicia 114 extend away from the plunger slide 106. Inalternative embodiments, the visual indicia 114 may be formed flush onthe plunger slide 106 or extend inwardly.

The cleaning head includes a front face 104 a, a back face 104 b locatedopposite thereto, and a top face 104 c extending therebetween (shown inFIGS. 6 and 7). The cleaning head may include one or more cleaningelements. In some embodiments, the cleaning elements are bristles. Asshown, a plurality of bristles 110 may extend away from the frontsurface 104 a of the cleaning head 104. The cleaning head 104 mayfurther comprise one or more suction ports 116. In one embodiment, thecleaning head 104 comprises three suction ports 116, including a frontsuction port 116 a located on the front surface 104 a of the cleaninghead 104; a top suction port 116 c located on the top surface 104 c ofthe cleaning head 104; and a back suction port 116 b located on the backsurface 104 b of the cleaning head 104. As discussed in greater detailbelow, the interior of the cleaning head 104 is hollow such that the oneor more suction ports 116 are communicatively connected to one another.In an embodiment, the bristles 110 are arranged in a regular patternsurrounding the front suction port 116 a.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plunger 502 is disposed within the handle 102. Theplunger 502 comprises a bottom end 502 a and a top end 502 b. When theplunger 502 is placed within the hollow handle 102, the bottom end 102 aof the handle 102 is located proximate the bottom end 502 a of theplunger 502, and the top end 102 b of the handle 102 is locatedproximate the top end 502 b of the plunger 502. The plunger 502 ismoveable between a first position (such as that shown in FIG. 8) wherethe plunger 502 is spaced at a distance away from the top end 102 b ofthe handle, and a second position (such as that shown in FIG. 9) wherethe plunger 502 is moved closer to (compared with the first position) oris adjacent to the top end 102 b of the handle.

In some embodiments, the plunger 502 comprises a hollow suction channel503 stretching from the bottom end 502 a to the top end 502 b of theplunger 502. A vacuum port 504 is located at the bottom end 502 a of theplunger 502. In an embodiment, the bottom end 502 a of the plunger 502tapers, such that the terminal portion of the bottom end 502 a isnarrower than the rest of the plunger 502. The bottom end 502 a isconfigured to be connected to a vacuum hose (not shown). The bottom end502 a may be inserted into the vacuum hose, such that the vacuum port504 is operatively connected to the vacuum hose.

The plunger 502 comprises a bottom rim 506 and a top rim 508, each ofwhich extend radially away from the plunger 502 and are configured tostabilize the plunger 502 within the handle 102. The plunger comprises avacuum channel 510 which extends away from the front face of the plunger502 and is configured to fluidly connect the hollow interior of theplunger 502 to the suction regulator aperture 108 on the plunger slide106. The plunger 502 is constructed from an impermeable or non-porousmaterial, such that the only openings via which air can pass from theexterior portion of the plunger 502 to the hollow interior of theplunger 502 are the vacuum port 504, the top end 502 b, and the vacuumchannel 510 (which are communicatively connected together).

The vacuum channel 510 may include a locking mechanism. In someembodiments, the locking mechanism preferably includes a pair oflaterally extending teeth 518 which are ramped such that the teeth 518protrude from the vacuum channel 510 at the suction end 100 a of thevacuum channel 510 and are flush with the vacuum channel 510 at thecleaning end 100 b of the vacuum channel 510. The teeth 518 areconfigured to mate or form a ratchet with a pair of laterally, inwardlyextending pawls 520 on the handle 102. The pawls 520 are constructedsuch that they may deform in the lateral direction. As the teeth 518slide along the pawls 520 toward the cleaning end 100 b, the pawls 520deform, bending laterally away from the vacuum channel 510. Once thepawls 520 slide past the teeth 518, the pawls 520 snap back into placeagainst the vacuum channel 510 and press against the suction end 100 aof the teeth 518, preventing the vacuum channel 510 (and thus theplunger 502 and plunger slide 106 as a whole) from moving back towardsthe suction end 100 a.

In an embodiment, the interior surface of the suction regulator aperture108 curves inwardly, such that the suction regulator aperture 108 issealably connected to the vacuum channel 510. In other words, when anobject (such as the surface of a user's finger or thumb) is placed overthe suction regulator aperture 108, the suction regulator is sealed.

The top rim 508 may be configured to secure a flexible gasket or anO-ring 512 in place between the plunger 502 and the handle 102, suchthat there is an airtight seal between the plunger 502 and the handle102. In an alternative embodiment, an airtight seal between the plunger502 and the handle 102 is formed with a gasket in the place of theO-ring 512. In another alternative embodiment, an airtight seal betweenthe plunger 502 and the handle 102 is formed by a process in which theplunger 502 and handle 102 are co-molded to produce an exact, airtightfit between those two components. A seal 514 is placed across the topend 502 b of the plunger 502, such that the top end 502 b of the plunger502 is airtight while the seal 514 is in place. In embodiments, the seal514 comprises foil, plastic, or a foil/plastic laminate and isimpermeable to air. The seal 514 is configured such that it will readilybreak when pressed against a sharp surface.

Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the figures depict enlarged views ofthe cleaning head 104 with the bristles 110 removed so that thestructure of the cleaning head 104 may be more clearly understood. Asshown, a front suction port 116 a is located on the front surface 104 aof the cleaning head 104; a top suction port 116 c is located on the topsurface 104 c of the cleaning head 104; and a back suction port 116 b islocated on the back surface 104 b of the cleaning head 104. The frontsurface 104 a includes a top protrusion 602 and a bottom protrusion 604,both of which extend outwardly from the front surface 104 a and areconfigured such that a plurality of bristles 110 may be mountedthereupon. The front suction port 116 a is located between the topprotrusion 602 and the bottom protrusion 604. As a result, thelikelihood that an object will block the front suction port 116 a isgreatly reduced. Further, the protrusions 602, 604 enable the cleaningsolution to readily adhere to the front surface 104 a and the bristles110. As shown, the edges of the cleaning head 104 may be chamfered so asto reduce the likelihood that a patient's mouth will be injured by thecleaning head 104.

The back face 104 b of the cleaning head 104 includes a textured portion702 surrounding the back suction port 116. In an embodiment, thetextured portion 702 comprises a grid of diagonal protrusions or awaffle surface. This textured portion 702 enables the cleaning solutionto readily adhere to the back surface 104 b of the cleaning head 104 andassists in the use of the back surface 104 b for scrubbing and theremoval of saliva, mucus and other liquid and semi-liquid materialduring use. Further, the textured portion 702 reduces the likelihoodthat an object will block the back suction port 116 b during use. In analternative embodiment, the textured portion 702 is used as a glue oradhesive surface for attaching foam, textured portion 702 is used as aglue or adhesive surface for attaching foam, textured rubber, felt, or asimilar material to the back face 104 b. The foam, textured rubber, feltor similar material provides the benefits of serving as an additionalcleaning surface and serving as a substrate for retaining oral cleansingsolution during cleansing of the mouth.

FIGS. 8-11 depict partial cutaway views of the unit dose brush 100, suchthat the interior structure surrounding the solution chamber 802 may bemore readily understood. As shown in FIG. 8, solution chamber 802 isformed in the top end 102 b of the handle 102 and is configured to holda unit dosage of cleaning solution (not shown). In an embodiment, thecleaning solution comprises an oral cleaning gel that is more viscousthan water. The solution chamber 802 is above the seal 514, such thatthe cleaning solution cannot enter the interior of the plunger 502 whilethe seal 514 is intact. The cleaning head 104 includes a piercingelement 516 extending downwardly from the cleaning head 104 through theneck 118 into the handle 102, such that the piercing element 516 isconfigured to break the seal 514 when the plunger 502 is movedsufficiently upward.

The unit dose brush 100 is assembled by securing the seal 514 over thetop opening 502 b of the plunger 502, securing the O-ring 512 againstthe top rim 508 of the plunger, inserting the plunger 502 into thebottom end 102 a of the handle 102, inserting the flange 522 of theplunger slide 106 between the plunger 502 and the handle 102 such thatthe snap locks 524 secure the plunger slide 106 slidably in place,filling the solution chamber 802 with oral cleaning solution, insertingthe piercing element 516 into the top end 102 b of the handle 102, andsecuring the cleaning head 104 to the handle 102.

In FIG. 8, the plunger slide 106 is in its initial position proximatethe suction end 100 a of the unit dose suction brush 100, and theplunger 502 is in the first position. As the plunger slide 106 is movedtowards the cleaning end 100 b, and the plunger 502 is moved to ortowards the second position, the cleaning solution is pushed out of thesolution chamber by the seal 514 located at the top end 502 b of theplunger 502. The cleaning solution travels through the hollow channel inthe cleaning head 104 and is expelled through the suction ports 116located on the cleaning head 104. Once a majority of the cleaningsolution has been expelled, the piercing element 516 contacts andruptures the seal 514, bringing the solution chamber 802 and the suctionports 116 into communicative connection with the vacuum port 504 and thesuction regulator aperture 108. By controlling the extent to which theopening in the suction regulator aperture 108 is covered (such as by afinger or thumb), the amount of suction at the suction ports 116 may becontrolled. For example, by covering the opening in the suctionregulator aperture 108, the suction at the suction ports 116 isincreased. By uncovering the opening in the suction regulator aperture108, the amount of suction at the suction ports 116 is decreased. Theamount of suction at the suction ports 116 may thus be varied bypartially covering the suction regulator aperture 108.

Once the plunger slide 106 is pushed to its final position proximate thecleaning end 100 b, it may be locked in place as the teeth 518 on thevacuum channel 510 ratchet against the pawls 520 in the handle 102. Thisprevents a user from attempting to reuse the unit dose suction brush100, which would increase the risk of the user introducing bacteria orother contaminants into the mouth and thereby increasing the risk ofcontracting a serious disease, such as pneumonia.

In some embodiments, there is a second seal provided near the end of thepiercing element 516 which provides access to the hollow channel of thecleaning head 104. In this way, the oral solution is held in thesolution chamber 802 in a sealed manner. The seal comprises foil,plastic, or a foil/plastic laminate and is impermeable to air. Forexample, in FIG. 10, there may be provided a second seal (not shown) atthe piercing element 516 closing off access to the hollow channel. Asshown, the plunger slide 106 is in its initial position proximate thesuction end 100 a of the unit dose suction brush 100 and the plungerfurther includes a second piercing element 550 extended therefrom. Thesecond seal is configured such that it will readily break when pressedagainst a sharp surface. As the plunger slide 106 is moved towards thecleaning end 100 b, the second piercing element 550 is pushed toward thesecond seal by the seal 514 located at the top end 502 b of the plunger502, and the second seal is punctured by the second piercing element550. As the plunger is moved further towards the cleaning end 100 b, theoral solution exits the oral solution chamber 802 through the puncturedsecond seal. The cleaning solution travels through the hollow channel inthe cleaning head 104 and is expelled through the suction ports 116located on the cleaning head 104. Once a majority of the cleaningsolution has been expelled, the piercing element 516 contacts andruptures the seal 514, bringing the solution chamber 802 and the suctionports 116 into communicative connection with the vacuum port 504 and thesuction regulator aperture 108, as described above.

In another embodiment, such as that shown in FIG. 11, the plunger slide106 is in its initial position proximate the suction end 100 a of theunit dose suction brush 100 and includes an oral solution capsule 552.The oral solution capsule 552 comprises foil, plastic, or a foil/plasticlaminate and is impermeable to air. The oral solution capsule 552 isconfigured such that it will readily break when pressed against a sharpsurface. As the plunger slide 106 is moved towards the cleaning end 100b, the oral solution capsule 552 is pushed toward the piercing element516 by the top end 502 b of the plunger 502 and the oral solutioncapsule 552 is punctured by the piercing element 516. As the plunger ismoved further towards the cleaning end 100 b, the oral solution exitsthe oral solution capsule 552 and the solution chamber. The cleaningsolution travels through the hollow channel in the cleaning head 104 andis expelled through the suction ports 116 located on the cleaning head104. Once a majority of the cleaning solution has been expelled, thepiercing element 516 contacts and ruptures the other side of the oralsolution capsule 552 as well as the seal 514, bringing the solutionchamber 802 and the suction ports 116 into communicative connection withthe vacuum port 504 and the suction regulator aperture 108, as describedabove. In this embodiment, there may not be a seal 514, and the piercingelement 516 need only pierce both sides of the capsule 552 before thesuction can be provided to the cleaning head 104.

In an alternative embodiment, a unit dose brush without suction isprovided. Aside from the differences described below, this embodiment isgenerally similar to unit dose suction brush 100. However, the vacuumport 504 is omitted and the plunger 502 is to be solid, rather thanhollow. The seal 514 and piercing element 516 are omitted, as the topend 502 b of the plunger 502 is solid. The suction regulator aperture108 is similarly omitted. In an alternative embodiment, the teeth 518and pawls 520 are replaced with a series of teeth and pawls, enablingthe plunger 502 to be secured in numerous locations, each correspondingto a single dose of cleaning solution. In this way, the brush may beused multiple times.

As shown in FIG. 12, a compliance system comprises a container 1000holding a plurality of individually packaged items 1002. Each of theindividually packaged items 1002 may be, for example, a unit dose brush100. Each of the items is sealed within a package, such that the items1002 must be removed from the packaging prior to use. In an embodiment,the packaging includes directions regarding the use of the itemcontained therein.

The container 1000 is configured to hold the packaged items 1002sequentially. For example, as shown, the packaged items 1002 may bearranged such that there is an item to be used at breakfast, an item tobe used at lunch, an item to be used at dinner, and an item to be usedat bedtime. Other sequential arrangements (e.g., organizing based onpredetermined times, days or other intervals) will also be readilyapparent to one of skill in the art based on the present disclosure.

Compliance with a treatment plan can be readily determined by visuallyinspecting the container 1000. For example, if it is lunchtime and theitem to be used at breakfast is still present in the container 1000, itcan be determined that the breakfast item was not used and the treatmentplan was not adhered to. The container 1000 may contain an area for acompliance monitor (such as a physician or nurse) to indicate that thetreatment plan has been followed. Other information, such as the starttime and date or instructions for use of the items 1002, may also beprovided on the container. In a preferred embodiment, each of the items1002 is configured to be used a single time before being recycled ordiscarded. Accordingly, the breakfast item may not be reused at lunch,making compliance with the treatment plan readily ascertainable.

In an embodiment, each item is an individually packaged unit dose brush100, complete with a unit dose of cleaning solution (such as toothpaste,cleaning gel, or another dentifrice). To use the system, an individualremoves the correct unit dose brush (e.g., the “breakfast” brush aftereating breakfast) and opens the packaging. The unit dose brush alreadycontains a predetermined amount of cleaning solution and may be usedimmediately, as described above. When finished, the individual discardsor recycles the brush, for example in a provided container. At the nexttime determined by the treatment plan (e.g., after lunch), theindividual selects the correct item for that time. If the individualfails to follow the treatment plan (e.g., does not brush after lunch), acompliance monitor will be alerted upon visually inspecting thecontainer 1000, as the unit dose brush for a previous time will still bepresent in the container.

One of skill in the art will recognize that all the various componentsidentified in this disclosure may be made from any material orcombination of materials suitable for the usage and environment,including, without limitation, metals, composites, engineered plastics,natural or synthetic materials, etc. Furthermore, such components may beformed in any conventional manner, such as by molding, casting,machining, cold or hot forming, forging, etc. Still further, suchcomponents may be finished in any conventional manner, such as painting,powder coating, plating, etc., or may be unfinished.

Furthermore, while the particular preferred embodiments have been shownand described, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made without departing from the teaching of thedisclosure. The matter set forth in the foregoing description andaccompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not aslimitation. The actual scope of the disclosure is intended to be definedin the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective, basedon the related art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oral care product dispensing system,comprising: a container; and a plurality of individually packaged itemsarranged in an organized fashion according to a predetermined treatmentplan.
 2. The oral care product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein theindividually packaged items are oral care items.
 3. The oral careproduct dispensing system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the oralcare items is a toothbrush.
 4. The oral care product dispensing systemof claim 2, wherein at least one of the oral care items is a suctiondevice.
 5. The oral care product dispensing system of claim 1, whereineach of the individually packaged items is contained in a package, andwherein at least one of the individually packaged items or the packagesare identified with a predetermined time for use.
 6. The oral careproduct dispensing system of claim 5, wherein the plurality ofindividually packaged items are arranged sequentially according to thepredetermined time for use.
 7. The oral care product dispensing systemof claim 6, wherein the predetermined times comprise one of: meals,times of day, days, or intervals.
 8. The oral care product dispensingsystem of claim 1, comprising at least four packages of individuallypackaged items, wherein a first package is identified with an identifierassociated with breakfast, a second package is identified with anidentifier associated with lunch, a third package is identified with anidentifier associated with dinner, and a fourth package is identifiedwith an identifier associated with bedtime.
 9. The oral care productdispensing system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the identifierassociated with breakfast, the identifier associated with lunch, theidentifier associated with dinner, and the identifier associated withbedtime is text.
 10. The oral care product dispensing system of claim 1,wherein each of the plurality of individually packaged items is sealedwithin a package and must be removed from the package prior to use. 11.The oral care product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the systemis configured to indicate compliance with the predetermined treatmentplan.
 12. The oral care product dispensing system of claim 11, whereinthe system is configured to allow for visual inspection to determinecompliance with the predetermined treatment plan.
 13. The oral careproduct dispensing system of claim 12, wherein the individually packageditems are visible in the package to allow for visual inspection.
 14. Theoral care product dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the individuallypackaged items are configured to be used a single time.
 15. An oralcleaning compliance system, comprising: a container; and a plurality oforal care items in the container, wherein each of the plurality of oralcare items is identified with a predetermined time for use.
 16. The oralcleaning compliance system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of oralcare items are arranged sequentially according to the predeterminedtimes for use.
 17. The oral cleaning compliance system of claim 15,comprising at least four packages, each containing one of the pluralityof oral care items, wherein a first package is identified with anidentifier associated with breakfast, a second package is identifiedwith an identifier associated with lunch, a third package is identifiedwith an identifier associated with dinner, and a fourth package isidentified with an identifier associated with bedtime.
 18. An oral carepackage configured to be included in an oral cleaning compliance system,the package comprising: an oral care item; and an identifier, whereinthe identifier provides information on a predetermined time for use ofthe oral care item.
 19. The package of claim 18, wherein the identifierassociates the predetermined time for use with at least one ofbreakfast, lunch, dinner, or bedtime.
 20. The package of claim 18,wherein the package is configured such that the oral care item isvisible in the packaging to allow for visual inspection to determinecompliance with an oral care treatment plan.